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BODRUM’S BLUE MEMORY LIVES ON THROUGH BOOKS

17.10.2025

Bodrum Maritime Museum celebrates the city’s seafaring heritage with the release of its eighth publication, “We, the Sponge Divers: Our Lives and Memories.” (“Biz Süngerciler: Yaşadıklarımız, Hatıralarımız”)

The Bodrum Maritime Museum has released its eighth book, “We, the Sponge Divers: Our Lives and Memories” (“Biz Süngerciler: Yaşadıklarımız, Hatıralarımız”),

a powerful work of collective memory tracing Bodrum’s destiny written by the sea. Authored by Dr. Meltem Ulu, supported by businessperson Mustafa Cem, and based on the museum’s ongoing oral history project, the book was launched at a well-attended signing event at the Bodrum Seafarers’ Association.

A Chronicle Rising from Bodrum’s Roots

Long before tourism defined its modern identity, Bodrum’s cultural and economic life revolved around the sea and the people who worked it. “We, the Sponge Divers” captures untold stories from that era, through the voices of sponge divers, boatbuilders, lighthouse keepers, women who cleaned and cut sponges, and their families. The book documents not only a trade but also the human labour and maritime spirit that shaped Bodrum’s identity.

A Well-Received Launch Event

Limited to 500 numbered copies, the publication was distributed free of charge as part of the museum’s mission to preserve and share Bodrum’s collective memory.

Dr. Meltem Ulu described the work as “an act of remembrance”:

“Sponge diving was not merely a means of livelihood, but an expression of deep friendship with the sea. Through this book, we sought to engrave the testimonies of those who lived that era into Bodrum’s cultural memory.”

Supporting the project, Mustafa Cem highlighted its importance for future generations:

“I believe one must move forward without losing touch with their roots. This book keeps alive not only an era but also the spirit of solidarity and hard work embodied by the sponge divers.”

Museum Director Selen Cambazoğlu emphasised the broader cultural message:

“This work is a gift not only to Bodrum’s past but to its future. When a city’s memory fades, so does its identity.”

More Than a Book: A Memory Written by the Sea

“We, the Sponge Divers: Our Lives and Memories” reminds readers that Bodrum’s history cannot be understood through tourism alone, it must also be read through the lives of those who worked beneath the waves.

Covering themes from sponge-diving voyages to women’s roles in sponge preparation, from boatbuilding to underwater archaeology, the book offers a vivid cultural panorama of a world where the sea was both livelihood and destiny.